Frequently asked questions

A CV checker is a tool that evaluates your CV against professional standards and gives you actionable feedback. CV Mojo's free CV checker reads your CV against the role you want and, in about 30 seconds, gives you a CV Score out of 100 across five categories: role relevance, impact and achievements, structure and clarity, skills match, and ATS compatibility. You also get your strengths and the fixes to make first. You don't need an account to try it.

Once your CV is saved in your account, you can also submit it for community review, where other members can give section-by-section feedback on layout, experience wording, skills relevance and overall impact.

CV Mojo uses two separate scoring systems:

CV Score (AI): Our AI analyses your CV and scores it out of 100, with a detailed breakdown, an ATS compatibility check and the improvements to make first. It is instant, so you can fix something and check again.

Community Score: Based on peer reviews from other members. Each reviewer votes Decent, Needs Work, or Major Rework and provides detailed feedback. After 5 reviews, your weighted Community Score is calculated.

Both scores are shown on your CV page so you can track progress over time.

These are the changes that usually make the biggest difference:

• Rewrite responsibilities as achievements: Don't say "responsible for managing a team". Say "Managed a team of 8, reducing turnover by 25% in 6 months".
• Add quantifiable results: Numbers catch attention. Revenue generated, time saved, percentage improvements.
• Tailor your CV to each role: Mirror keywords from the job description naturally throughout your CV.
• Keep it to 2 pages: In the UK, 2 pages is the standard. Prioritise your last 2–3 roles.
• Use a clean, ATS-friendly format: Single column, standard headings, no images or tables.
• Check, fix, repeat: Run the free CV checker, fix the top issue it finds, then check again. For a second opinion, submit your CV for community review.

For an instant review, use the free CV checker: add your CV and the role you want, and in about 30 seconds you get a CV Score out of 100 with the fixes to make first. No account needed.

To save a CV in your account, there are several ways to create one:

• CV Studio: Visual builder with live preview. Click to edit, drag to reorder.
• Guided Builder: Step-by-step wizard with prompts and tips.
• CV Interview: Voice-powered. AI asks questions, you talk, it builds your CV. (Uses 1 free use; unlimited, with fair use, with the Job-ready pass or Pro.)
• AI Import: Upload an existing PDF/Word CV and AI fills everything. (Uses 1 free use; unlimited, with fair use, with the Job-ready pass or Pro.)
• LinkedIn Import: Export your LinkedIn as PDF, upload it, AI converts it. (Uses 1 free use; unlimited, with fair use, with the Job-ready pass or Pro.)

Once your CV is saved, you can run an AI Quick Scan on it to get your CV Score, and submit it to the community review queue, where other members can give structured feedback on each section. Community reviews come from members giving their time, so there is no set turnaround.

Yes, always. Reviewers and other members see your CV as "Anonymous member", without your name, email, phone number, address or personal links, and the original file you uploaded is only ever available to you. Your own view shows everything.

If you want more, turn on "Also hide employer names" when creating or editing your CV and reviewers won't see the companies you worked for either. Share links you create are anonymous too, unless you choose to show your name and contact details on that link. Job titles and other details in your text can still say a lot about you, so read it through before you share it.

ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System. It's software that many medium-to-large employers use to collect, sort and search applications, often before a person reads them.

ATS scans your CV for relevant keywords, proper formatting, and structured content. If your CV isn't ATS-friendly, it might never be read by a person, regardless of how qualified you are.

CV Mojo's ATS Checker analyses your CV against common ATS requirements and flags issues like missing keywords, problematic formatting, and unreadable sections.

Yes. Modern ATS systems handle PDFs well, especially those created from text-based tools like CV Mojo's CV Studio and PDF exporter. PDFs are actually preferred because the formatting stays intact.

The problems arise with image-based PDFs (scanned documents), heavily designed templates with columns and graphics, or CVs created in tools like Canva that embed text as images. CV Mojo's export creates clean, parseable PDFs that work with all major ATS platforms.

Not necessarily. Most modern ATS systems can handle two-column layouts reasonably well. The bigger issues are:

• Text embedded in images or graphics
• Headers and footers containing important information (ATS often ignores these)
• Non-standard section headings
• Tables used for layout

That said, a clean single-column layout is the safest option if you want maximum ATS compatibility. CV Mojo's templates are designed to be both visually appealing and ATS-friendly.

On CV Mojo, an ATS score above 80% means your CV is well-optimised for tracking systems. However, the score is just one factor, it checks formatting, keyword alignment, and structural issues.

A high ATS score doesn't guarantee interviews, and a lower score doesn't mean your CV is bad. The most important thing is that your content is relevant, well-written, and tailored to the role. Use the ATS score as a guide, not a goal.

CV Mojo offers a comprehensive suite of AI-powered tools:

• AI Quick Scan: Instant CV scoring across 5 categories with improvement tips
• LinkedIn Profile Import: Upload your LinkedIn PDF, AI builds a structured CV
• AI CV Import: Upload any existing CV (PDF/Word), AI extracts all sections
• CV Interview: Voice-powered CV builder. Talk naturally, AI writes your CV
• Cover Letter Builder: AI-generated cover letters tailored to specific jobs
• Interview Prep: Practice questions with voice read-aloud and coaching tips
• ATS Checker: Check compatibility with Applicant Tracking Systems
• Job Match Analysis: Compare your CV against any job listing
• Salary Insights: Market rates for your role and region
• Bullet Point Rewriter: Turn weak duty-based bullets into achievements
• Skills Gap Analysis: Find gaps between your CV and target roles
• LinkedIn Optimiser: Compare and improve your LinkedIn profile

Free accounts get 3 free uses. The Job-ready pass (7 days £2.99, or 30 days £6.99) and Pro (£4.99/month) make every tool unlimited, with fair use. The free CV checker doesn't use any: anyone can run up to 3 checks a day.

Free accounts get 3 free uses when you sign up. Each run of a tool such as Quick Scan, a cover letter, interview prep or the ATS check uses one, and each tool tells you before it runs: "Uses 1 of your 3 free uses".

Free uses are one-off and do not reset. Once they're used, the Job-ready pass (7 days £2.99, or 30 days £6.99, never renews) or Pro (£4.99/month) gives you unlimited use of every tool, with fair use.

With the pass or Pro there is nothing to count: every tool is unlimited, with fair use (up to 60 tool runs and 300 chat turns a day, which genuine use doesn't reach).

LinkedIn allows you to download your profile as a PDF. Here's how:

1. Go to your LinkedIn profile page
2. Click "More" then "Save to PDF"
3. Upload the downloaded PDF to CV Mojo

Our AI reads the LinkedIn PDF and extracts your experience, education, skills, certifications, and contact information. It structures everything into a proper CV format and opens it in CV Studio where you can edit, redesign, and export.

This is a Pro feature and typically takes 10–20 seconds.

The CV Interview is a voice-powered conversational CV builder. Instead of filling in forms, you have a natural conversation with AI:

1. Choose your depth: Quick (5 questions, ~2 min), Standard (11 questions, ~5 min), or Deep Dive (16 questions, ~8 min)
2. AI asks you questions about your role, experience, skills, and goals
3. You speak your answers naturally (or type them)
4. AI turns the conversation into structured, polished CV sections
5. Your new CV opens in CV Studio for final editing

You can re-ask any question, skip ones that don't apply, and edit your answers at any time. Available for Pro members.

In the UK, 2 pages is the standard for most roles. Here's a guide:

• Graduates / entry-level: 1 page is fine. Don't pad it out.
• Mid-level (3–10 years): 2 pages. Focus detail on your last 2–3 roles.
• Senior / executive (10+ years): 2 pages, possibly 3 if you have extensive relevant experience.
• Academic CVs: Can be longer. Publications, research, grants all count.

The key question for every bullet point: "Would this make a recruiter pick up the phone?" If no, cut it.

These are the most common CV mistakes, and what to do instead:

• List achievements, not duties: "Managed social media" becomes "Grew Instagram following from 2k to 15k in 6 months, generating 340 leads"
• Tailor to each application: Your CV should mirror the language and priorities of each job description
• Use a strong summary: 2–3 sentences about who you are, what you do, and what you bring. Make it specific.
• Include both hard and soft skills: But weave soft skills into your experience bullets rather than listing them separately
• Keep formatting clean: Consistent fonts, clear headings, plenty of white space
• Proofread everything: One typo can cost you an interview. Read it backwards to catch errors.

Yes, when you can. A tailored cover letter lets you explain why you fit the role in a way your CV alone can't.

For large companies with ATS systems, the cover letter may not always be read. But for smaller companies, agencies, and roles where a human sees your application, a good cover letter can be the difference between an interview and a rejection.

CV Mojo's Cover Letter Builder generates tailored cover letters in seconds based on your CV and the specific job description. Even if you're not sure it'll be read, it takes minimal effort with AI assistance.

All job listings on CV Mojo are sourced from Reed.co.uk, one of the UK's largest and most trusted job boards. They are real, verified job postings updated regularly.

You can search by keyword, location, salary range, and job type. Each listing includes the full job description, company information, and a direct link to apply.

When you view a job listing, you can compare it against your CV. Our AI analyses how well your skills, experience, and qualifications match the job requirements and gives you a percentage score.

• 80%+ match: Strong fit. Apply with confidence.
• 60–79%: Good potential. Tailor your CV to fill the gaps.
• Below 60%: Significant gaps. Consider upskilling or targeting different roles.

The AI also gives specific recommendations on what to add or change in your CV to improve your match for that particular role.

Yes. CV Mojo includes a built-in job application tracker where you can:

• Save jobs you're interested in
• Track application status (Applied, Phone Screen, Interview, Offer, etc.)
• Add notes and next actions
• Set reminders for follow-ups
• Rate your excitement level for each opportunity

On the Jobs page you can also save searches to run again, and get job matches by email: a free weekly email with up to 5 new jobs that match your CV, every Monday. With the Job-ready pass or Pro you can have them every morning instead, with up to 10 jobs.

CV Mojo is free to start. When you want unlimited AI tools there are two ways to pay:

• Job-ready pass: 7 days £2.99, or 30 days £6.99, paid once for everything in Pro. It never renews, so there is nothing to cancel.
• Pro: £4.99 a month, cancel any time.

Both give you unlimited use of every AI tool, with fair use (including AI Import, LinkedIn Import, CV Interview, cover letters, interview prep and ATS checks), daily job matches by email, your own portfolio page that employers can find on Google (with a Get in touch form), priority in the review queue and a Pro badge on your profile.

Your CVs, reviews, reputation and profile stay with you if you go back to free.

One payment for everything in Pro while you are applying for jobs: 7 days for £2.99, or 30 days for £6.99. It never renews and there is nothing to cancel. When it ends your account goes back to free and you keep everything you made. If you buy another pass while one is running, its days are added on.

Paid plans give you unlimited use of every tool, with fair use: up to 60 tool runs and 300 chat-style turns (such as interview practice) per account each day, UK time. Genuine use doesn't come close. If an account does reach it, the tools pause until midnight and nothing is charged. Editing, saving and downloading your CVs is never limited.

Paid plans start straight away, so at checkout we ask you to confirm you want access straight away and understand you lose your 14-day right to cancel once you start using it. If you change your mind before you have used any paid feature, contact us within 14 days of paying for a full refund. Pro can be cancelled any time and runs to the end of the period you have paid for; the pass never renews. Your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 if something is faulty are not affected.

There is no time-limited trial, but plenty is free. Free accounts come with 3 free uses: each run of a tool uses one, so you can try three different tools or one tool three times.

CV Studio, the Guided Builder, community peer reviews, the job board, the weekly job email and your public profile are free with no limits. Daily job emails and your own portfolio page come with the Job-ready pass or Pro. Anyone can also use the free CV checker, up to 3 checks a day, without an account.

Go to Settings > Danger Zone > Cancel Subscription. This opens the Stripe billing portal, where you can cancel straight away. You keep Pro until the end of the period you have paid for. The Job-ready pass never renews, so it never needs cancelling.

Yes. Your data is stored securely and we take privacy seriously:

• All connections are encrypted with SSL/TLS
• Payments are handled by Stripe, we never see or store your card details
• We do not sell your data to third parties
• We do not use advertising trackers such as the Facebook Pixel
• You can export all your data at any time (Settings > Export Data)
• You can delete your account and all data permanently

See our Privacy Policy for full details.

Yes. Go to Settings > Danger Zone > Delete Account. This permanently and irreversibly removes all your data including CVs, reviews, cover letters, saved jobs, interview sessions, and profile information.

You can also export all your data as a JSON file before deleting (Settings > Export Data) to keep a personal copy.